Intentionally aiming toward a more joyful life

Tag Archives: groceries

I have really been an emotional roller coaster these last two weeks. Our new president frightens me so much and I have been alternating between weeping in depression and fear, and getting angry and taking back my power (and therefore being productive around the house). My Facebook feed has turned into a political forum. Gone are the LOLcats and kid pictures. Everything is about our president and his hateful, planet-destroying behaviors. In response I’ve decided to become a revolutionary and (re-)join a riot. Continue reading →

My husband loves his yogurt. He loves it so much that he makes it himself and eats nearly a quart each day at work. Yes, a quart. He credits it with curing his persistent toothaches and with boosting his immune system. I’m not sure if others have similar results, but he has definitely noticed an improvement. Today I am going to walk you through how we make raw milk yogurt in the dehydrator. It is only one of many ways, but it works very well for us. Continue reading →

I live in a wonderful place. I feel blessed to live in New England, and although there are many places I would like to visit, there is no place I would rather live than here. Especially the Connecticut River Valley where it cuts through the Appalachian Mountains. Technically, I live in the foothills of the mountains, and it is a very wonderful place to live. Cheshire County will always be the home of my heart. Continue reading →

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that we receive food stamps to supplement our income. You also probably know that I have particular standards for what food we eat. There are many examples on the internet about food stamp budget challenges to help people understand what it is like to live on such a budget. Since this is something I have done every month for nearly 13 years, I thought I would share what a month of food looks like in my house. According to food stamps we should be able to feed our family on $218.20/week, or $872.80 for four weeks. Why am I counting four weeks instead of a full month? Continue reading →

Previously, we walked through the factors that determine how much food stamp assistance you receive. We talked about different types of income, and about deductions, and how much you are expected to contribute to your own grocery budget. We also previously talked about what kinds of food you can get with your benefits, and how to really make them work hard for you. So now that you have food stamps, let’s take a look at where you can spend them.

Where not to spend food stamps

As their name implies, food stamps are used to buy food. That is the simplest way to look at it. However, not all Continue reading →